I got my BlackBerry 9900 yesterday in the mail from Rogers and immediately switched over from the 9700.

Before I continue, I'm a huge fan of Blackberry and I've been using a BlackBerry since 2000 (BlackBerry 950) and have gone through all the latest models at they progressed throughout the years.

Yesterday after switching over, I really enjoyed it or the novelty of having a new blackberry. Was impressed with the new screen and speed of the 9900, but after playing around with it for a while, I started to notice things that I really didn't like about it or how different it really is from the 9700...

1. The OS (OS7) I found to be pretty buggy or just lacked certain things. For example App World isn't working properly, adding email addresses from the phone directly isn't working properly...

2. Upset to see that all the old Blackberry noises (eg. Classic Ringer, Default BBM alert noise, email alerts) we're not there anymore and have been replaced with new sounds - not a big deal

3. My pictures are organized in folders and sub-folders. The folders work, but sub-folders all open up when you get into them. For example. If I have picture folders called. Family, Sports, and Vacation the folders are listed properly. But if I had sub folders under Sports let's say, and they were called, Hockey, Golf and Baseball, if I opened up the Sports folder, I'd see all the pictures from all the sub-folders as opposed to seeing 3 folders (Hockey, Golf and Baseball) which I should have the option to go into either one of them.

4. Although it's thin, the size of the phone is big. It's hard to go from a nice small size of a 9700 to a 9900. I understand that the screen is bigger and keyboard is bigger, but still.

5. Something annoying. When you get multiple BBM notifications, the BBM notification icon doesn't display how many different people BBMed you. Where as on the 9700, if 5 people BBMed you, you'd see the #5 next to the notification.

6. The touch screen is really cool, although can sometimes get in the way and be hit by accident. Should have a feature to lock the touch screen if possible.

7. One less convenience key now ... Why? I don't know ...

8. The speaker of the phone is location at the bottom on the backside of the phone which I personally think is a horrible placement because you tend to block it with your fingers if holding the phone in your hand thus causing a muffled or muted sound if tried playing an mp3. On the 9700, the speak was located at the top of the back side of the phone not being interfered while holding the phone ... Not too mention that the 9900's speaker sounds a little weaker than the 9700...

9.Camera's auto-focus is gone.

Anyway, that's what I noticed for now unless I forgot something else and have decided to go back to my 9700 OS5 for the time being ... I'm sorry if it's not positive review you all want to hear, just being honest!

Dov

1) I havent seen any bugs with OS7 that you described.

2) Download the ring tones and store on memory card/internal memory.

5) I get the different notifications... ive had 9 people msg me when sleeping and it showed 9 new notifications with the blue bbm icon on home screen.

6) You will have to get use to the touch screen. theres no point of having a greater display touch screen when u are just gonna lock it. thats the new form factor of these os7 devices.

7) Download Six Tools, it makes the volume up, down and mute/play keys into convenience keys. I have it and it works great.

8) Muffled? RLY? This is the loudest speaker ive heard on an phone!

9) The camera is better than the 9700 in the sense that my pictures dont blur and that they are in higher resolution.

If you have these problems out of the box, id suggest u exchange ur device.

I knew some apps wouldn't work due to compatability and I didn't care. When I load app world, I can get in. I can view apps as well. However, whenever I go to "My World" or actually click on download, appworld immediately freezes and goes into "please wait" with the circular loading animation. My appworld has been in that state since last night. I'm on .261 and I hear that loading .291 fixes the error but I'm not a tech guru and don't want to brick my phone before Telus releases it. Appworld isn't make or break for me and I can load apps through the online loader.

Well if AF is a big deal, then I suggest buying this instead of a phone:Attachment 91573

Ummmm, most people like to have a decent, auto focus camera on hand as opposed to carrying a huge and annoying DSLR around their neck.

Why carry two devices when you could just carry one? Try taking a pic of an important hand written note or a classified ad in a newspaper, or even an important business receipt or close up of a shipping receipt. You won't get a good picture without auto focus. I shouldn't need a DSLR for that. I can deposit checks into my bank account just by taking a picture of it, that feature isn't supported on devices without auto focus.

I knew some apps wouldn't work due to compatability and I didn't care. When I load app world, I can get in. I can view apps as well. However, whenever I go to "My World" or actually click on download, appworld immediately freezes and goes into "please wait" with the circular loading animation. My appworld has been in that state since last night. I'm on .261 and I hear that loading .291 fixes the error but I'm not a tech guru and don't want to brick my phone before Telus releases it. Appworld isn't make or break for me and I can load apps through the online loader.

Not the first that I heard of the app world error since people have been buying the new 9900. .291 was a joke, and the battery life was bad. Switching devices, the same thing happened to me when I switched my 8330 to a 9780.

I know you may not be comfortable upgrading your OS, but I would go with Vodafone's .296

Ummmm, most people like to have a decent, auto focus camera on hand as opposed to carrying a huge and annoying DSLR around their neck.

Why carry two devices when you could just carry one? Try taking a pic of an important hand written note or a classified ad in a newspaper, or even an important business receipt or close up of a shipping receipt. You won't get a good picture without auto focus. I shouldn't need a DSLR for that. I can deposit checks into my bank account just by taking a picture of it, that feature isn't supported on devices without auto focus.

I know, and if RIM tried to hide the fact the camera was EDoF, then I would feel pissed. You do not need a DSLR for that, you need a Phone with an autofocus camera, and the 9900 does not have one. Perhaps buying a phone with one would better suit your needs.

Not the first that I heard of the app world error since people have been buying the new 9900. .291 was a joke, and the battery life was bad. Switching devices, the same thing happened to me when I switched my 8330 to a 9780.

I know you may not be comfortable upgrading your OS, but I would go with Vodafone's .296

whoops, I meant .296 I hear was the fix. I'll upgrade to .296 when it comes out for Telus. I mean, I don't use apps other than weather so it isn't the end of the world for me. I'm just saying that the notion the release OS is bug free isn't accurate. Also, don't take me for a non-lover. I'm in love with the phone. I still recommend it. Just be careful when doing the device switch.

Woah this thread has gone viral.
Relax. The OP made the mistake of switching his device from 9700.
A simple wipe, OS load and restoring APPS one by one will sort out his problems,
except for AF camera. But that was known before.

The guy from telus I was on the phone with also has said it has been a big issue.

Seems to be pretty widespread from what I am hearing and seeing on the various forums. I do feel for you. I guess I got lucky, only two of my apps crapped out and I deleted them right away, I have had no issues with app world (except for wikitude) and the 5 apps I have installed.

Curious, cause most of the people saying they are getting this error, had quite a few apps that buggered out on em.

I feel the same way about app world that I do about itunes...I dislike them both.

^^+1.
OP,
Nothing what you said has happened with me. Overall its a solid device and has none of the bugs you said it has, except for the AF. The lack of AF camera was non before its an EDOF camera. Read about it.I think you might have chosen the Switch Devices option and backed up your third party apps.
This corrupts the OS 7 for some reason.
Wipe your device, upgrade to .296 from VodafoneDE, and sign in to your BBID on the phone before transferring personal info and apps.

PLEASE explain. I have always transferred from the old bb to the new one via BB Desktop. This way, I get all my apps, personalized contact ringtones etc.

whoops, I meant .296 I hear was the fix. I'll upgrade to .296 when it comes out for Telus. I mean, I don't use apps other than weather so it isn't the end of the world for me. I'm just saying that the notion the release OS is bug free isn't accurate. Also, don't take me for a non-lover. I'm in love with the phone. I still recommend it. Just be careful when doing the device switch.

Oh hey, nicky, you are preaching to the choir. I believe you are getting the errors that you say you are, and do not think just cause you are stating your case, you are a troll or something. Not at all.

Bug Free? Haha what's that?

Same boat for me, I use Uber, wiki, weather (maybe one or two others), my having 0 issues this time, is payback for having to manually enter all my contacts into my 9780 after xfer over from my 8330!!!

PLEASE explain. I have always transferred from the old bb to the new one via BB Desktop. This way, I get all my apps, personalized contact ringtones etc.

Is there a better way?

Thanks!

When switching from an older device with an older OS version, it usually causes problem if you select to move your apps too as they may be incompatible and end up messing your phone. Thus, a lot of people prefer to just move the emails, settings, BBM contacts only excluding the apps.

Then they cant gradually build their own list of compatible apps to install.

I know, and if RIM tried top hide the fact the camera was EDoF, then I would feel pissed. You do not need a DSLR for that, you need a Phone with an autofocus camera, and the 9900 does not have one. Perhaps buying a phone with one would better suit your needs.

I agree, the 9930 isn't for me unfortunately. However, that does not mean that you shouldn't buy this device. I was just responding to crazy remark of get a DSLR. Shouldnt need a DSLR just for autofocus. RIM will be making a serious mistake if it decides to not include AF in their next line of devices.

PLEASE explain. I have always transferred from the old bb to the new one via BB Desktop. This way, I get all my apps, personalized contact ringtones etc.

Is there a better way?

Thanks!

Not a better way, if you are simply changing devices that run off the same OS, or have not had that many changes then all power set to full.

It may not be in your best interest to switch devices from a 9700 OS6 to say 9900 (OS 7) as sometimes things get lost in translation. It seems to bugger OS 7. You may want to sign in to AW, set up the phone, and then xfer personal information and see what apps are available on your device before moving them over.

PLEASE explain. I have always transferred from the old bb to the new one via BB Desktop. This way, I get all my apps, personalized contact ringtones etc.

Is there a better way?

Thanks!

Well so have I.
Apparently OS 6 apps don't play well with OS 7. Maybe graphics rendering or something.
When I switched from Torch to 9900 using the device switch wizard, I had the same problems as the OP.
I finally wiped the 9900, loaded OS7.x.xx.296 from VodafoneDE and then only restored my contacts.
I also signed into Blackberry ID first and made sure that App World works.
Only after all this did I restore third party apps using the option (only restore third party apps).
EDIT:
I'm pasting from another post I made on this matter. Maybe it might help someone:

I had this exact problem. I solved it though and am posting what I did for anyone who might be going through this.
This is what I did that got me into trouble:
1) Unboxed the 9900, but the battery in and fired up BB desktop manager.
2) Connected my Torch 9800 which is running OS6.xx.xx600 and clicked switch devices.
3) Connected my 9900 when DM asked me to
4) Everything works, all apps are there. But App World and BB Protect refused to work.
What I tried but didn't work:
1) Pulled Battery number of times
2) Deleted App world and reinstalled twice
3) Deleted App World and downloaded App World 3.0 from BB beta zone.
4) Wiped the device and put in my sim card. Didn't back up or transfer contacts and tried App World. Still no joy.
What Finally worked:
1) Backed up 9900 contacts only. Dumped the applications.
2) Wiped the device
3) Downloaded latest .296 OS from VodafoneDE site.
4) Installed new OS using Apploader.
5) On device boot up, the 9900 now asked me the BB ID I want to associate with the device.
6) Entered user and pass. App World confirmed if I wanted to shift the device linked to my account. Clicked yes.
7) App world and Protect started working
8) Now again performed a device switch from my Torch. (Luckily I didn't wipe the Torch). I selected only apps to be transfered.
9) All apps were installed.
10) Now I restored my contacts etc from the 9900 backup I had taken earlier.
Eerything works.
By the way I decided to stick with App World 3.0 from the beta zone.

When switching from an older device with an older OS version, it usually causes problem if you select to move your apps too as they may be incompatible and end up messing your phone. Thus, a lot of people prefer to just move the emails, settings, BBM contacts only excluding the apps.

Then they cant gradually build their own list of compatible apps to install.

Ok, thanks! So, it's safe to move everything except the apps. (I'm upgrading from a bb 8530, 5.0...886. Will I be ok?)

Remember when Rogers released the 9000 to Canadian users...and AT&T customers here in the States were whining because AT&T had not passed it through their more stringent tests for hardware and software glitches? The result was that lots of Rogers customers had lots of problems with the 9000. But, when the 9000 finally dropped to AT&T...it turned out to be the BlackBerry with the lowest return/complaint numbers of any AT&T BB to date.

What you are seeing is the consequences of an early release by a carrier. I'm glad AT&T here is waiting to release the 9900 when it feels that it's ready for prime time...not rushing to drop it just because they know that people will jump on it like tigers on a T-Bone!

Ok, thanks! So, it's safe to move everything except the apps. (I'm upgrading from a bb 8530, 5.0...886. Will I be ok?)

TY

Well let me share my experience with you.

When I moved from an OS 5 device to an OS 6 device, the options from OS 5 were also not fully compatible with the options from OS 6. Nothing major, but I noticed my trackpad was acting sluggish and weird. Despite the settings being the same on 70 horizontal / 70 vertical.

So what I did was, I wiped my device, then restore my back up but this time did not choose full, but rather, I chose customer, and deselected the options.

This may not always be the case , but just wanted to share my experience.

With that said, I just sold my 9780 a few hours back, and will have to wait for 2 days until I get the 9900. So I simply took a backup of my 9780 without the apps, and will restore everything back on the 9900 minus the options, I will start configuring those from scratch on my own.

I also created a new Mobihand Account dedicated for the 9900, and slowly, I am asking Mobihand Support to move the apps that I know for a fact will work according to people here and according to the supported devices on the app's page itself.

If you are used to OS6 I don't think this phone will be that dramatic of a change. If you keep on top of OS updates I don't think you will encounter these same issues with the device features. I will personally complain about only 1 convenience key and AF but that's only I can't see QR scanning being an easy task without it... Since I have not personally played with this phone yet (SOON PLEASE OMG MUST GET!) I can't accurately speculate. My convenience keys are my contacts and my camera. I will probably adapt to using universal search for contacts and find another way to quickly add contacts...
DO WANT THIS PHONE! GAH 620 after tax :'(
**saves pennies**

When I moved from an OS 5 device to an OS 6 device, the options from OS 5 were also not fully compatible with the options from OS 6. Nothing major, but I noticed my trackpad was acting sluggish and weird. Despite the settings being the same on 70 horizontal / 70 vertical.

So what I did was, I wiped my device, then restore my back up but this time did not choose full, but rather, I chose customer, and deselected the options.

This may not always be the case , but just wanted to share my experience.

With that said, I just sold my 9780 a few hours back, and will have to wait for 2 days until I get the 9900. So I simply took a backup of my 9780 without the apps, and will restore everything back on the 9900 minus the options, I will start configuring those from scratch on my own.

I also created a new Mobihand Account dedicated for the 9900, and slowly, I am asking Mobihand Support to move the apps that I know for a fact will work according to people here and according to the supported devices on the app's page itself.